Ajinkya Chavan

Maps By Ajinkya Chavan

Kolhapur is a very ancient city, famous for its food, footwear, jewellery, wrestling and religious connections. The city of Kolhapur famous as 'Dakshin Kashi' since ancient times is a holy place and was historically known for being the capital of the 'Kolhapur Sansthan'. Its rich legacy,tradition and culture, the presence of the mahalaxmi temple, palaces, the various arts, delicious cuisine and rich culture make the city an ideal tourist destination. The architecture of Kolhapur is a varied pleasure of styles indulging into a traditional & a royal background. It merely depicts a journey from temples, to palaces ,to mandapas, to public buildings ,to lakes & finally is blessed with its urge to nurture and develop the art & culture.Buildings with architectural significance and traditional values are considered for their preservation and conservation.
Preservation of heritage structures requires maintenance as necessary in order to maintain the building precinct or artifact in its present state to prevent and retard deterioration.

When you hear mantras being chanted by priests and the mellifluous singing of hymns by devotees, you know you have reached Pandharpur. Situated in the Solapur district in Maharashtra, Pandharpur is a famous pilgrimage spot in the state. It attracts tourists who are on a spiritual quest from all over the country who come here to worship and pay respect to the Gods and Goddesses in this town. All the festivals and rituals are done with complete faith and devotion by the locals. The festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor. Situated on the banks of River Bhima, Pandharpur also offers scenic beauty and riverside enjoyment to its tourists. Every Wednesday is considered to be the auspicious day of the week and Ekadashi is considered to be sacred in this holy town. Festivals are celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm in this city. Festivals like Aashadi Ekadashi and Karthik/Karthik Ekadashi are popular in the city, and attract many visitors. The best time to visit the city is in June-July and November, which are the main festive periods.

Badami or Vatapi is one of the most important and historical town in Bagalkot district, being the capital city has many monuments which had royal patronage.
Today Badami, together with Aihole and the World Heritage site of Pattadkal forms a celebrated cultural triangular of North Karnataka renowned for its rich architectural, natural and cultural heritage. Its spectacular natural and geological setting-deep valleys, scared water bodies, the historic settlement-Badami old town with traditional flat roofed mud structures, ancient pathways, monuments, festivals, rituals, art and craft, add to its unique historical landscape which defines and distinguishes Badami from other historical places in India.